Postcards From Liverpool: Beatles Moments & Memories by Mark Brickley. Britpop Books.
This book explores
the Beatles on a number of levels, from their sounds to how their innovations
affected those close to them as well as their fans. They were a musical tsunami. From 1962 to 1970, they recorded
songs that still spark and glow, and their harmonies move together like
parallel lines. It feels like they are in the same room, singing directly to
you.
Music journalist Mark Paul Brickley’s new book Postcards From Liverpool:
Beatles Moments & Memories recounts rarely-heard tales
from the Beatles’ legacy. Brickley has published dozens of interviews, articles,
and music columns in a number of music magazines and online. He is also a performing
musician. The book was originally published in 2017 and has been revised and
re-released in 2019.
Postcards from
Liverpool packs a
great deal into its 200 pages, beginning with a series of eight backstories
that bring to light the phenomena known as the Beatles and how the music they
created continues to stand the test of time. Brickley does an excellent job of
presenting their musical legacy and explains how they developed their
harmonies, chord progressions, and phrasing that resonates throughout their
musicianship.
Brickley also touches
on the influences on the Beatles, from Motown to Dylan, and how these affected
the band by reaching into their histories. He continues to show the Beatles’
progression in music through their interests such as transcendental meditation
and their stay in Rishikesh, through the solo careers
to date.
The author traces the Beatles’ footsteps
through London into their Liverpool childhood homes with side trips to Paul
McCartney’s Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony, Ringo Starr’s Grammy Museum Press
Conference, the Beatles exhibit at Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and
memories of the Fest For Beatles Fans. Each tour stop, event, and exhibition
confirmed the unbreakable bond that music fans still have with the famed
Liverpool band.
The 2019 book contains six interviews: James
McCartney (Paul’s son), James Ferguson (lead singer
and singer/songwriter of Spirit), Apple recording
artist Jackie Lomax in his last interview, Rock Hall Associate Curator Meredith
Rutledge-Borger, 1960s British songwriter Mitch Murray (who had three
#1 hits including “How Do You Do It”), and Fab
Four tribute band founder Ron McNeil.
Since the 2017 release of the book, Brickley
embarked on a number of Beatles events including trips to London and Liverpool,
the 2018 White Album Symposium at
Monmouth University in New Jersey, Beatles festivals, and more.
Along with the more than 40 photographs from
his personal collection, Brickley is able to show the impact of the Beatles not
only on their fans, but also on society. Postcards From Liverpool is a nice
remembrance that allows Brickley to bring the reader along for the ride, with
some new information, in a fun way. I give Postcards from
Liverpool: Beatles Moments and Memories a grade of A.